Walmart, Zipline partner to launch 'first-of-its-kind' drone delivery service in U.S.

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Walmart has partnered with Zipline to launch what's being described as a “first-of-its-kind” drone delivery operation in the U.S.

According to Walmart, the new service will make on-demand deliveries of select health and wellness products with the potential to expand to general merchandise. Zipline’s proprietary technology will be used during the trial deliveries, which will take place near Walmart’s headquarters in Northwest Arkansas.

Operating from a Walmart store, Zipline will be able service a 50-mile radius, which is about the size of the state of Connecticut. Walmart notes that Zipline’s launch and release system not only allows for quick on-demand delivery in less than hour, but it also eliminates carbon emissions, which Walmart says “lines up perfectly” with its sustainability goals.

The operation will likely begin in early 2021. If successful, Walmart and Zipline will look to expand their operations.

Zipline operates the world’s largest drone delivery network. It began operating in late 2016 in Rwanda, with a primary focus on the on-demand delivery of medical supplies. To date, Zipline has safely delivered more than 200,000 critical medical products to thousands of health facilities serving more than 20 million people across multiple countries.

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